Friday, April 13, 2012
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
THE EMPTY TOMB REVEALS OUR ACCOUNTS ARE PAID
Very often it happens that when someone dies someone else "inherits" the expense of paying for funeral arrangements. There are times when other unpaid bills must also be met.
Jesus' empty tomb reveals that our sin accounts with God are paid in full. The empty tomb assures us that all is paid. Jesus' resurrection proves that our faith in Him is not empty and our sins stand forgiven.
It's stated negatively because sometimes the best way to get us to appreciate how good things are is to consider how bad they could have been. For example, those who have narrowly escaped a car accident have a whole new view of living!
The Apostle Paul puts it this way, "If Christ had not risen, then our faith in him would be empty ... and we would still be in our sins." Jesus was offered up for our sins, and had he remained dead, we would be left to forever wonder if His sacrifice was sufficient. We'd be left to wonder if we had to do something to clear up our debt with God.
When God raised Jesus from the dead, He confirmed that His sacrifice was accepted and sufficient. In other words, our slate is clean. Our debt of sin is paid. When we must stand before the Judge there will be no sins, no wrongs to condemn us because Jesus has taken them to the cross and taken them out of the way.
When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found,
clothed in His Righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 370:4)
Christ is risen! Our sins are forgiven!
